Accused oil siphoner arrested with another man in Belfast burglary

BELFAST, Maine — A man accused of siphoning heating oil from a dead woman’s home in November was arrested last week after a resident allegedly caught him in the act of breaking into and entering his Fahey Street home with the intention of stealing.

Adam Gray, 23, of Swanville and Douglas Noble, 22, of Belfast had used burglary tools Thursday afternoon to get inside the house, according to Belfast Police Chief Mike McFadden.

The two were in the process of stealing items such as electronics from the home when the man “returned home to find these characters inside,” McFadden said.

Noble fled the house, but Gray remained inside, “pinned” there by the resident, until police arrived at the scene.

Story continues below advertisement.

Gray was arrested and charged with burglary, possession of burglar’s tools and attempted theft.

Noble, who was tracked down later that day after Belfast police officers joined forces with Detective Merl Reed from the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested and charged with burglary, theft by receiving stolen property, attempted theft and possession of burglary tools.

McFadden said the police tracked Noble’s movements that afternoon and found that he had gone to nearby Waldo County General Hospital, where he asked to use the telephone. The hospital has a good surveillance system, the chief said, and police were able to obtain good photographs of Noble.

Reed recognized him and when he went to Noble’s home to interview him about his activities, the detective spotted jewelry that seemed suspicious.

Noble said that Gray had brought the jewelry with him and that he didn’t have anything to do with it.

Police still are looking for the owner of the jewelry and encouraged anyone missing jewelry to give them a call, McFadden said.

Gray was accused in November of being part of a group of men who siphoned heating oil from an outdoor oil tank at the vacant Mill Lane home of a woman who recently had died.

A neighbor called police after spotting the men at the house in the middle of the night, and although all three tried to hide in the woods, they eventually were caught by officers.

At that time, Gray was charged with refusing to submit to arrest or detention. On Friday, Feb. 3, he was issued a criminal summons for theft in regards to the oil siphoning incident, according to a Belfast police official.

Both Gray and Noble were taken to Waldo County Jail, where they were booked on charges relating to last week’s alleged burglary.

Noble was released on $500 cash bail on Friday. Gray was released on $500 cash bail on Saturday, according to a jail official.

If anyone has information about missing jewelry, call the Belfast Police Department at 338-2040.